SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- There were still 132 games left, and the D-backs didn't stop playing, or trying, for that matter. But realistically, the 2014 season was over for them after an 8-22 start.

"We were about as cold as you can get at the beginning of the year, and that's a lot to come back from," D-backs outfielder A.J. Pollock said. "It was a rough start. We tried to re-gather and tried to collect ourselves and get it going, and it just never happened."

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Archie Bradley has not pitched out of the bullpen other than in Spring Training, but the D-backs' top prospect said he is more than happy to be a reliever if it means making the Opening Day roster.

D-backs manager Chip Hale said Monday that Bradley, selected by the club in the first round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, is one of the candidates for the final spot in the team's bullpen.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- You can tell the difference in Mark Trumbo this year just by watching the D-backs outfielder -- on the field as well as in the clubhouse.

Acquired in December 2013 from the Angels, Trumbo was expected to provide protection for first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, and given his prodigious power, there was talk of Trumbo increasing his already impressive home run totals thanks to hitter-friendly Chase Field.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Dodgers did not give D-backs starter Yoan Lopez a chance to get his feet under him, scoring a pair of early runs and holding on for a 4-2 win Monday afternoon at Salt River Fields.

Lefty Brett Anderson got the start for the Dodgers and was quite impressive, delivering six scoreless innings and allowing just four hits.

Nick Krueger is a junior majoring in journalism at Arizona State University. This story is part of a Cactus League partnership between MLB.com and ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Webster among trio optioned to Triple-A

Reynolds, Schugel also sent to Reno; Nuss, Ibarra and Runzler reassigned

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Webster whiffs Heisey 0:14

3/23/15: Allen Webster strikes out Chris Heisey in the bottom of the 4th inning

Right-hander fans 4 over 3 2/3; Laird has sac fly

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- In his second game back from a right oblique injury, Daniel Descalso homered for the first time this spring to give the Rockies a 2-1 victory over the D-backs in a split-squad game Sunday at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.

Descalso's start Saturday against the Cubs was his first appearance since March 14. The homer came off D-backs reliever Matt Reynolds to break a 1-1 tie in the seventh. Descalso's go-ahead hit came an inning after teammate Justin Morneau homered off Rubby De La Rosa to tie the game.

Club continues to build relationships in Hermosillo

HERMOSILLO, Mexico -- The familiar glint was in Tony La Russa's eyes as the D-backs' chief baseball officer talked about why his team was playing an exhibition game against the Rockies in Hermosillo on Sunday.

"I love the idea of competing," La Russa said before his club dropped an 11-10, 10-inning decision. "That's really what gets your heart pumping and your gut going. Usually, it's us against another team, but I thoroughly embrace our organization competing for the loyalty and support of the fans of Mexico."

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- After skipping his last start, D-backs right-hander Jeremy Hellickson threw 75 pitches in Saturday's 10-5 loss to the Royals and pronounced his arm healthy and ready for the start of the season.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- A five-run seventh was capped by RBI doubles from Paulo Orlando and Moises Sierra as the Royals completed a comeback win, 10-5, over the D-backs Saturday at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- C.J. Wilson pitched through a nightmarish second inning and Mark Trumbo went 1-for-3 in his first game against his former team as the D-backs beat the Angels, 7-2, at Tempe Diablo Stadium on Friday.

The D-backs sent 10 batters to the plate in the top of the second inning. Seven of them reached based and five of them scored, but only two -- Trumbo and A.J. Pollock -- actually hit the ball hard against Wilson. There was a walk, an infield single, errors by shortstop Erick Aybar and third baseman Kyle Kubitza and a fly ball that fell between Efren Navarro and Josh Rutledge in shallow right field.

Roster bubble is nothing new to D-backs' Lalli

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- With a little more than a week left in Spring Training, D-backs catcher Blake Lalli finds himself squarely on the roster bubble. It's familiar territory for him.

Lalli is trying to make the D-backs in a backup role to Tuffy Gosewisch and is competing with Gerald Laird and Jordan Pacheco for what could be one or two spots depending on whether manager Chip Hale elects to go with two or three catchers.

Hale: Tomas may start season in Minor Leagues

D-backs manager said Cuban star could play third base or left field

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Tomas' three-run blast 0:31

3/23/15: Yasmany Tomas blasts a three-run homer to center to tie the game in the top of the 6th inning

By Barry M. Bloom
/
MLB.com |

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Cuban star Yasmany Tomas could still start the regular season in the Minor Leagues, D-backs manager Chip Hale said on Thursday before his club played the Padres in a Cactus League game at Salt River Fields.

"Yeah, there's a definite chance," the first-year manager said about determining the answer to the biggest question in camp. "It's going to come down to us all sitting down and everybody talking about what's best for the Major League team."

Pollock's knocks back Anderson's rotation audition

Chase Anderson allowed a run over six innings in the D-backs' 3-3 tie against the Padres on Thursday.

By Barry M. Bloom
/
MLB.com |

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- With Spring Training coming down to the nitty-gritty, the fight for roster spots and slots in the starting rotation are narrowing.

Thursday's 3-3 tie between the D-backs' and Padres in a Cactus League game at Salt River Fields featured just another such tussle: San Diego right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne and Arizona righty Chase Anderson are both vying for slots in the back end of their respective rotations.

D-backs' Marshall finds success attacking the strike zone

Young reliever keeping ball on the ground in the big leagues

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Marshall strands a pair 0:20

9/2/14: Evan Marshall fires strike three past Rene Rivera to strand a pair and keep the score tied going into the 9th

By Ari Kaye
/
MLB.com |

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - - When Diamondbacks relief pitcher Evan Marshall was asked how he made such a smooth transition to the big leagues, the 24-year-old surprisingly pointed to his struggles at Triple-A in 2013.

The former fourth-round selection did have some success in Reno that year, striking out 59 batters in 58 innings, but also walked 30 and finished the season with a 4.34 ERA.

Ari Kaye is a graduate student in the journalism masters program at Arizona State University. This story is part of a Cactus League partnership between MLB.com and ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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D-backs adding local hits to ballpark fare

Churro Dog, Lo-Lo's among highlights new to Chase Field's menu in 2015

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Chase Field's new food offerings 7:05

D-backs president and CEO Derrick Hall explains the food and concession changes at Chase Field and demonstrates making the Churro Dog

PHOENIX -- Traditional ballpark fare will always have its place at Chase Field, but as D-backs fans attending games there this year will no doubt notice, there will be many more options beyond hot dogs and hamburgers.

"We've tried to create 'wow' items each and every year that have been big hits," D-backs team president and CEO Derrick Hall said. "But in addition to that, we want to create great destinations with local favorites."

Brendan Rodgers, the consensus No. 1 Draft prospect entering 2015, has held serve and still looks like the favorite to go first overall to the D-backs on June 8. But few of the other highest-rated talents have met expectations so far this year, leaving many more questions than answers at the top of the Draft.

A shortstop from Lake Mary (Fla.) High, Rodgers continues to demonstrate outstanding offensive potential for his position along with a strong arm and solid speed and defense. But most of the players right behind him on MLBPipeline.com's Draft Top 50 rankings from December have gotten hurt or regressed, including the two pitchers who figured to be Rodgers' main competition to be the top pick.

Duncan is not back in uniform, but he is back in baseball, a special assistant/pitching consultant for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is back in familiar territory, doing what he knows best, working with the coaches and pitchers throughout the organization on the art of pitching.